PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore Will Hanley (New Canaan, Conn.) recorded game-highs of 29 points and 10 rebounds Monday evening as Bowdoin College defeated Plymouth State University, 78-70, in non-conference men's basketball action at Foley Gymnasium, the first game of 2011 for both teams.

              Hanley matched his career-best scoring performance, which actually came in his last outing, a 75-68 victory over Colby College back on Dec. 11.  He converted 13-of-18 from the field against the Panthers, mostly in the paint for the 6-7 forward, while also blocking four shots and collecting five of his 10 rebounds off the offensive glass.  Hanley led the Polar Bears to their fourth straight victory as they improve to 7-2 overall.

              Senior Ryan Lambert (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton) led the home team with 21 points and six rebounds.  He started the game on fire, scoring PSU's first 16 points, and finished the first half with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting.  Lambert cooled down after the break, making just one three-pointer in nine shot attempts.  Senior Tom Dowd (Portsmouth, N.H.) added 13 points for the Panthers, who drop to 5-5 overall.

              Lambert's hot shooting helped offset strong play by Bowdoin's junior Ryan O'Connell (Ipswich, Mass.), who scored all 12 of his points in the first half, and Hanley, who chipped in with 10 point in the first 20 minutes.  Junior Justin Nowell (Cos Cob, Conn.) went scoreless in the opening stanza, but contributed 13 points after the break.

              PSU held a three-point advantage at halftime, and extended it to eight points a minute into the second half.  But Bowdoin answered with a 15-3 spurt to take a four-point lead.  The score remained within five points until the five-minute mark on the clock, when the Polar Bears started to pull away.  A pair of lay-ups by Hanley pushed Bowdoin ahead by eight points, but PSU hung close and refused to let Bowdoin pull away.  The Panthers were as close at two points (70-68) with two minutes remaining, but Bowdoin held off all rallies by the home team and went home with a victory.

              Plymouth State is home again on Thursday, hosting the University of Maine Farmington at 6:00 p.m.  Bowdoin visits Saint Joseph's College Thursday at 7:00 p.m. 

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